Spring draft attachment



(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 1. H. BARBER.

SPRING DRAFT ATTACHMENT.

Patented Mar. 3, 1891.

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Ne. 447,289. Patented Mer. 3.1891.

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' H. BARBER.

SPRING DRAFT ATTACHMENT.

Patented Mar. 3,1891.

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UNITED STATES IIIRAM BARBER, or

PATENT EEICE.

cIIIc'Aco, ILLINOIS.

SPRING DRAFT ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 447,289, dated March 3, 1891.

- Application filed April 26, 1888. Serial No. 272,003. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HIRAM BARBER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Spring Draft Attachments, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact descriptiomreference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

Myinventionrelates to spring draft attachments, and is designed especially to provide a yielding attachment or connection between the evener and the tongue or pole of a wagon or otheI` vehicle.

Heretofore spring attachments of various forms have been used for this purpose. In

' one form a solid case is permanently attached to the pole. In this case is placed a coiled spring directly in front of the evener. On power being applied to the evener the spring is compressed within certain limits. Thus a yielding connection -has been provided which has given a certain measure of satisfaction. It is found, however, in actual practice that this form of device involves the permanent attachment of the evener to the wagon or other vehicle, which is not always desirable. It is also found that eveners differ greatly in size, and that it is difficult to reduce them to the one. uniform standard required in connection with all devices using a coil-spring with which I ain familiar. Again, it is also desirable that the attachment should be readily separable from the wagon or other vehicle for use on other implements of industry,

especially plows, harrows, and slcds. In other words, that it should be capable of ready removal from the wagon or other vehicle in conjunction with the evener. I have found, also, that it is desirable to have the spring divided into two parts, one located in front of and the other in the rear of the evener, and so arranged that when one of the springs shall have been compressed the other one will be in position to take the pressure of the load. The advantages of this arrangement are briefly as follows: Vhile securing `the full measure of compression of both the springs, the forward movement of the evener in the case is limited to the compression of the forward spring, and` the reaction of the saine .pressure on the evener.

when the pressure ceases is not so great as when the entire spring is in front of the evener-that is to say, the reaction is divided between the evener and the bolt upon which the rear spring isA compressed.

In my device as herein described the evener is placed between the springs. By this arrangement I am able to utilize the space behind the point of draft on a common wagon to a much greater extent than when the whole spring is located in front of the evener. The rear portion of the case is thus made to perform at the same time the functions of a draw-bar to the extent of the forward motion of the same.

The advantages of this feature of my invention will be obvious when it is remembered that the direct attachment of the evener to the drawbar gives rise to two very serious disadvantages, first, the liability of the draw-bar to breakage by lateral draft or pressure on the evener, since the draw-bar as it is pulled forward through the vcoiled spring inclosed in the case is constantly elongated, and thus its power to resist lateraly pressure diminished; second, the liability of the evener to tip and get out of place whenever upward or downward pressure is applied to the extremity thereof.

Hitherto when the draft has been by direct attachment of the evener to the draw-bar no practicable device has been perfected to overcome these difficulties without the sacrifice of the proper motion or movement of the evener.

In my invention herein the case is held firmly in and guided by a clasp in front, and hence all the advantages of the draw-bar are secured, with no possibility of lateral motion or of displacement by upward or downward This arrangement also affords an opportunity for opening the case for the ready removal of the evenerthat is to say, the front and rear portions of the case being preferably of such distance from one another that the strap pivoted to the rear portion may extend over the evener to the front portion, where itis securelylocked. The evener may thus be readily disconnected from the case, and eveners of different sizes or shapes employed with simply a change in the form of the strap, and at the same time IOO all the strength and security of the solid case retained. By this arrangementI am also enabled to attach the device to a common wagon by means of the old-fashioned bolt and hammer-strap with the simple addition of a clasp in front affixed to the pole, in which the forward part of the case plays, and with equal facility I am enabled to detach the draft attachment from the wagon or other vehicle without disconnecting the evener from the draft attachment; and when so detached the device may be readily attached to a plow, harrow, logging-sled, or other implement of industry by means of a clevis of suitable shape and dimensions, the bolt of which will pass through the forward end of the slots in the rear part of the case, and which bolt, when the clevis is attached to a vehicle, will constitute the point of resistance, and when forward motion is given to the case will press against the head of the core and thus compress the spring in the rear part of the case, serving the same purpose as the bolt, which passes through the hammer-strap and down into the pole when the device is attached to a common wagon.

In the drawings which are illustrative of the several features of my invention, Figure l is a plan view illustrative of the preferable form of my attachment, showing the springs compressed and the core or head-block fm projecting through the forward end of the case. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the manner of connecting the evener therewith. Fig. 3 is a sectional view thereof upon liners of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detached view of the core of the rear coiled spring. Fig. 5 is a sectional View upon line 'y y of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing a modification of my draft attachment secured to a wagon-pole or other fixed part of the same. Fig. 7 is a plan of the evener and core or head-block m of the front spring, the front face of the hea-dblock against which the evener bears being an arc of a circle. Fig. 8 is a plan view of my draft attachment. Fig. 9 is a detailed sectional view thereof. Fig. lO is a transverse sectional View upon line .e 2 of Fior. 9. Fig. 11 shows a modification of the rear end of the case and the substitution of a drawbar in the place of the core in the rear spring. Fig. 12 is a plan View of my attachment in connection with a clevis.

I will now first describe my invention as illustrated in Figs. 5, 7, 8, 9, and lO, in which the case a contains the front coiled spring b and the rear coiled spring c. The springs are preferably of unequal tension or power of resistance, the rear springbeing the stronger, so that the front spring will be preferably nearly compressed to its limit before the rear spring is compressed to any considerable extent. It will be understood that the case a is movable longitudinally upon t-he pole, this movement being dependent upon the amount the rear spring c is compressed. The evener is, however, also movable in the oase, this movement being limited to the compression of the front spring. I thus have two springs which, while acting conjointly in affording a cushion or yielding attachment between the draft-animals and the vehicle or plow, yet are so combined with the case and evener as to be to a certain extent independent in their action, one yielding preferably more freely than the other, while the movement of the evener forward is dependent upon the compression first of the front spring, and, secondly, upon the compression of the rear spring. The case thus may have only about one-half the amount of movement upon the pole of the entire yielding movement of the evener. The bolt CZ passes through the case and evener, as shown, being inserted before the case is placed upon the pole. The case is provided with slots e f, as shown, so that the bolt may be moved forward in said slots independently of the movement of the case. The case itself is secured to the pole by the clasp or guide g and the hammer or bolt 71,. This bolt passes through the hole in the front end of the hammer-strap t', through the slots 7a Z in the case, and through the pole. This hammer-bolt is of course fixed with respect to the pole. On starting the team, the draft is received upon the springs. The evener coming directly against the head of the core or head-block m, the front spring b surrounding the same is compressed until the bolt (l is carried forward as far as the slots or guides c f will permit. The springt) is preferably of such tension that the evener will always be close against the head of the core m, as shown more clearly in Figs. 7 and 9. The head of the core n of the rear spring is normally pressed against the ham mer-bolt, as shown in Fig. 9. By compressing the rear spring sufficiently the case may be moved forward upon the pole as far as the slots 7c l will permit.

As shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3, the case is provided with separate chambers, and between these chambers is provided an opening large enough to admit the evener and afford the same the necessary play or motion. The evener, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, may be readily brought into place or disconnected from the case by simply raising the strap 0, thus allowing the evener to be placed upon or removed from the pin or bolt p.

Straps of different forms may be used, so as to fit over eveners of different thicknesses and shapes and hold them in the desired position.

Figs and 9 represent two different styles of case, not inaptly distinguished as the solid and the open case.

In Figs. 6, S, and 9 the evener is shown pass ing horizontally through the case between the springs, where it is held permanently in position by the bolt d, the top of the case being solid-that is, not capable of being opened or removed.

As shown in Figs. 6, 8, and 9, the core m, upon which the evener works, is held in place IOO IIO

and secured from lateral movement by the pin or bolt q,which passes through the slot e in the top of .the case and a hole in the core or head-block m, as shown clearly in Figs. 7 and 9.

As shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3, the core r is provided with a plate or extension s, which forms a seat for the evener. In this extension is provided a slot s of sufficient length to permit the evener to move forward against the head or shoulder of the core r, the position of the' bolt p being readily adjusted to correspond to the bolt-hole in the evener. IVhen the strap o is in place above the evener, as shown in Figs. l and 3, the evener is held in position in precisely the same manner as in the solid case, the slot t in the strap 0 corresponding with the slot e in the top of the solid case. As shown in Figs. l and 3, the rear end of the strap o is pivoted or hinged to the rear portion 0f the case, while the forward end thereof is securely locked to the case after the manner of a hasp to a staple. The strap o, therefore, when in position may be said to be a section of the top part of the case, which may be opened when desired, while the form thereof may be varied at pleasure to conform vto the thickness of the evener, as already shown. That portion of the bolt p which passes upward through-the evener andthe slot t in the strap o, as shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3, is somewhat larger than the part passing through the slot s in the plate s and the slot in the lower part of the case, thus forming a shoulder which rests on the upper surface of the shoulders on each side of the slot therein, while the lower extremity of the bolt is provided with a head of sufficient size to prevent the bolt from moving upward. This head Works in a recess in the lower part'of the case of sufficient width and depth to receive the same and permit the movement of the bolt 19 on the slot s in the plate r and slot in lower part of the case without objectionable friction with the upper surface of the pole. In this manner the direct contact of the evener with the core or head-block fm. is maintained when pressure is applied to the evener and any lateral movement of the core or headblock m prevented.

Vhile the core or head-block m, as shown in Figs. 7 and 9, is secured from lateral movement by the pin q, it is obvious that the use of the pin is not absolutely essential to the working of the device. y

In varying the methods of attaching the device to plows, harrows, and sleds, the rear end ofthe case is also preferably supplied with slots t in the sides, so that the clevis may be attached horizontally, when desired, and Where the device is used on a logging-sled, where the common method of hitching to the load is by a staple at the rear of the evener, which passes over a goose-neckv on the pole, the rear end of the case may be perforated and a draw-bar substituted in the place of the core in the rear spring, as shown in Fig. 11.

It is obvious that the different parts of my device may b e made and sold separately or in connection with one another. For example, the case, which I consider one of the important parts of my invention, might be sold separately as a manufactured article. -not wish, therefore, to' be considered as limiting myself to these precise forms or constructions.

Having thus described the character of my invention and the method of constructing and operating the same, what I claimas my invention, and for which I seek Letters Patent, isl. In a spring draft-equalizer, the combination, witlrthe tongue of a vehicle, of the metallic casing longitudinally movable thereon,

divided into chambers, the hollow cores lo-v cated within said chambers, surrounded by coiled springs, and adapted to be compressed and relaxed by the evener-bar located in the Ido,

forward chamber, substantially as described.,

2. In a spring draft-equalizer, the combination, with the tongue of a vehicle, of the metallic casing longitudinally movable thereon, divided into compartments and provided with a hinged strap, the hollow cores provided with heads, 'located within the charnbers, the coiled springs surrounding said cores and adapted to be contracted and relaxed by the evener-bar located inthe forward charnber, for thepurpose set forth.

3. In a spring draft-equalizer, the combination, with the tongue of a vehicle, of the inetallic casing longitudinally movable thereon, divided into chambers and provided with a hinged strap, the hollow cores located within the chambers, having heads, the coiled springs surrounding said cores, the evener-bar secured t0 the head of the core in the chamber IWI, and the core N, abutting against the bolt H in rear chamber, substantially as described. In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 23d day of April, A- D. 1888.

I-IIRAM BARBER. Witnesses:

GEORGE P. BARTON, CHAs. G. HAwLEY.

IOO 

